Missouri Southern comes back

Lions’ Adams converted late three-point play for victory

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. -- Down by 14 with 10 minutes left and as much as five with a minute and a half to play, the No. 4 Missouri Southern State came from behind to defeat Arkansas-Monticello 102-99 on Monday to remain undefeated on the season.

The Lions (2-0) trailed 82-68 with 10 minutes left and cut the lead to 90-87 after a 3-pointer from Jason Adams with more than four minutes to go. A jumper from Keane Thomann cut the lead to 97-94 with 1:14 left in the game and a three-point play from Marquis Addison with just under a minute to play tied the game at 97. The Lions went ahead on a basket from Adams, but the Boll Weevils (1-1) tied the game again at 99 with a score from Sergio Crowe. A three-point play from Adams with five seconds remaining gave the Lions the win.

Southern was led offensively by Jason Adams as the senior had a career night with 43 points on 15-21 shooting. He was 6 of 7 from the 3-point line and 7-7 from the charity stripe. Twenty-four of his 43 points came in the second half. Thomann had 17 points, while Jordan Talbert scored 14 points.

Monticello had four score in double-figures, led by 30 from Ricardo Hall and 20 from LA Farmer.

The Boll Weevils led by as many as 10 in the first half after a jumper from Crowe made the score 42-32 with 4:44 left. UAM led by as many as 14 in the second half twice, the last when the Lions started their run.

Southern for the second time this year shot more than 60 percent from the field as the Lions were 38 of 60 (63.3%). It also shot 50 percent from the 3-point line and 76 percent from the free-throw line.